Weddings in the Creakes Benefice

If you are thinking of getting married in any of the churches in the Creakes Benefice, speak in the first instance to the Rector, Fr Clive Wylie. His contact details can be found here. It is very important that you do this before setting a date or booking reception venues.

There are several connections to a parish church that enable you to marry there, in addition to the traditional residential and church electoral roll laws.

They are…

If one of you:
has at any time lived in the parish for a period of at least 6 months *
or
was baptised in the parish concerned
or
was prepared for confirmation in the parish
or
has at any time regularly gone to normal church services in the parish church for a period of at least 6 months
(NB. this is not a device by which attendance is simply to qualify; it is for people who have been in the past – or are becoming, as ongoing members – part of the relevant worshipping community. You cannot set a date based on an assumption that you just turn up for 6 months before the wedding.)
or

that one of your parents, at any time after you were born has lived in the parish for a period of at least 6 month *
or
has regularly gone to normal church services in the parish church for a period of at least 6 months
or

that one of your parents or grandparents was married in the parish

* Residency means that it is your permanent and main residency. If you are claiming that there is a connection through a holiday or second home, proof will be required that one of you or your parents (during the lifetime of the relevant person getting married), had previous residential status; this will normally mean that that person’s name was on the government roll of electors for the required time qualification.

There are a few finer points that may need to be explained (eg there is a special procedure if either of you has been married before and that former spouse is still alive). In any case, you will be speaking to the Rector in order to arrange the wedding, so feel free to ask him specific questions.

In the meantime, the Church of England has a site that you may find of further use in thinking about and arranging your wedding here https://www.yourchurchwedding.org/